Impact of Industrialization on the Environment: Water Quality Index of Pharmaceutical Effluent Discharged in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

There has been an upsurge in the recalcitrance and bioaccumulation of some deterimental pharmaceutical by-products and heavy metals in the aquatic ecosystem. This study determined the water quality index (WQI) of a pharmaceutical effluent discharged in Ota. The physicochemical parameters of the effluent were carried out using turbidimetric (NTU), nephelometric (mg/L), titrimetric (mg/L), conductivity (uS/cm) and spectrophotometric (nm) methods. The parameters assayed include pH, turbidity, conductivity, and temperature. Others include the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biogenic/organic constituents and heavy metals. The physicochemical results obtained were compared with the World Health Organization and United States Environmental Protection Agency standards. These include 4.76±0.07 pH; 1.9±1.00 DO (mg/L) 12.0±1.10 chloride; 3.0±0.03 sulphates; 8.96±0.90 nitrates; 3.21±0.06 phosphates; 29 ±1.12 BOD and 339±2.10 COD. The distribution of heavy metals is in the following order: Zn > Cu > As> Ni> Pb > Cd > Hg. All the results obtained were within acceptable limits of the USEPA and WHO standards. The estimation of the overall quality of the wastewater gave a WQI of 32.54 which suggests a good water quality that is re-usable for irrigation an